Weeder



Sept. 21 1926. v

T. T. WRIGHT WEEDER Filed May 1. 1925 Patented Sept. 21, 1826 THOMAS T. TRAYS-H1, GE HOIJTER' DAM, MONTANA.

WEEDEB.

Application filed May '1,

The present invention relates to improvements in weedlng implements, and has for an object to provide an improved device adapted to penetrate the ground and to engage the roots and stems of the weeds without cutting the same, whereby on movement of the implement horizontally. beneath the surface, such weeds will become entangled with the implement and withdrawn from the earth therewith. 1 V I It is also an object of myinvention to provide improved weeding frame and bar to facilitate penetration ofthese parts in the earth and their easy and convenient movement beneath the surface thereof in the act of dislodging the weeds and roots.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an implement which, unlike a hoe, will not remove the earth with the weeds, but which is designed to pass beneath the surface of the ground and to leave detached portions of the soil in the original position. This makes it unnecessary to leave huge holes and knobs, and renders it much easier to introduce and remove the imple ment fro-m the-ground.

The invention alsocontemplates the use of an improved handle and accessory device where-by the wei ht of the user may be im-' posed on the implement at various distances along the handle.

view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective view showing an improved implement constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view of the handle accessory with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 in Figure 2, and

Figure. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, 6 designatesthe handle or pole of the device, and 7 designates a frame carried by one'en'd thereof. The frame in this instance comprises the divergent arms 8 and 9, to the outer separated ends of which are at- VJith the fore oin and other ob'ects in.

192-5. s m n 73236,

;beyond the ends of the weeding bar liO-and' are formed into substantial-1y S-shaped prongs 1-1 These prongs. extend upwardly and are given a forward pltch at their ex- .tremities. A very sli ht pressure downward is all that is necessary, and is secured by useof thehand to position the bar 10 in the ground. 'Tlienthe weight of the body may be imposed uponthe thFllStiI'GGlVlIlg V member 12t-o force the-weeding bar 10 forwardly through the soil with ease andlittle exertion on the part of the operator. The

thrust receiving member; 1 2is carried by the sleeve 13, which is slidably mounted on the ,7 handle 6. The sleeve 18. is preferably made sheetmetal and is split longitudinally, having the meeting flanges 1d through which the ,bolts orother fastenings 15 are passed to secure the sleeve about the handle. The bolts 15 also-passthrough the: right angular feet 16 and 17 of the thrust receiving member 1.2 and its diagonal base 18., The members 12 and 18 may be reversed to extend from the opposite-side of the handle 6 by removing and replacing the bolts .15, and may with advantage'be formed ofa single piece of sheet metal doubled upon itself and arranged in substantially V-forniation with the overturned feet or ends 16 and 17 provided with perforations to receive thebolts 15. The upstanding double flanges 15. v I

reinforce the brace 18 and the member 12 and the elongated bearing of the sleeve 13' on the handle 6 contributes to strain. over a large area.

, spread the V The Sleeve is extended beyond the flanges 1% in the direction of the weeding implement, and such sleeve is provided, with up-v bar of sheet metal folded upon itself with its end portions receiving the hand grip 23,- and its intermediate portion bent into partially cylindrical form, conforming to' the surface of the rounded handle 6 and forming the shoe or dog it adapted to bind at it is desired to drawthe handle toward them operator, against the wood of the handle 6.

its forward end or at its rear end when Spacing washers 26 are shown in Figure 7 l .as provided between the arms 21 and 22 of the lever.

Referring to Figure 5, the handle 6 is shown as provided with a frame '27 having two pairs of arms 28, 29, 80 and 31 eX- tending downwardly and outwardly and having prongs 32 on their free ends extendmg upwardly to prevent 1t from entering the ground too abruptly. The arms support a rectangular frame composed of the longitudinal weeding bars 33 and 3e and. the endweeding bars 35 and; 36. These bars are all arranged in one plane. and are conadjusted along the handle 6 to suit the re- ,quirements'; of the individual user of the implement.

nected to the outer free ends of the arms 28, 29, and 31.

In the use of the device, the sleeve 13 is For instance, tall and short men will'worlr with better facility when the sleeve is at the outeror inner portions respectively of the handle. The sleeve is ad justed along the handle by grasping the hand grip 23 and drawing it toward the operator, who stands behind the thrust ;1ne1nber;12. The shoe 24 is thus tilted into a position substantially parallel with the axis of the handle, and the sleeve may be slid along the handle in either direction to the desired position. -VVhen this position has been reached, the operator'will thrust forwardly on the hand grip 23, causing the end25 of the shoe to grip said handle 6.

'Pressure downward may thereupon be put 1 upon the handle through the hand grip 23 and by engaging the'hip of the user with the thrust. member 12. Greater force and weight may consequently be imposed upon the weeding implement than is necessary to force it through the ground and disengage the weed. The weight of the operator imposed on the member 12 will cause the bar 7 10 to travel along beneath the surface of the ground. 7

.keeping" the pressure uniform. The. bar 10 will engage the roots which will wrap about The operator steps forward the same without cutting said roots andwill draw them .up through the surface "when the bar 10 is lifted. The bar 10 moves along in a horizontal plane beneath the 'surface-of the earth. After the bar has been lower end thereohja forwardly moved a prescribed distance, it is lifted from the ground with a quick upward and forward flick and the device is in condition for 'reinserting. Movement of the grip handle 23 relieves weeder bar 10 and flips the weeds from the implement, eliminating the hand stripping of the weeds from the same and the taking'of the handsfrom the handie and pole. V a c In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, this device is particularly adapted for thinning sugar beets and also for removing the weeds therebetween. The length of the bars 33 and 3% will correspond pref 7 erably to the distance from one plant to another. are below the surface the device may he moved along in either horizontal direction for a desired distance in order to thin out the beets and the weeds occurring in this distance. The thinner bars are constructed When the bars 38 or 34 or 35 or 3(3- of the length desired to thin beets, and as the thinner bar, we will say is fourteen inches long, it will pass through a row and.

leave the beets fourteen inches apart as they arethiclrly sown. The thrust 1s m'ade right close to the plant leftat rightendof the and then a slight offset is made to miss one plant and a thrust is made between said row. and the next advanced row, and so on until the work is completed.

alt is obvious that jvarious changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such. changes and modifications 38-" ingrestricted only by the scope lowing claim.

What 1s claimed is:-

of the fol A weeding implement comprising a handle, a pair of divergent arms carried by the THOMAS r. water-tr.

extending row wherethe thinner went through before 

